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Slaf got a talking to

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Habssince89 said:
I like slaf's defensive/responsible game potential to start. He's been responsible and has made good plays with his stick and he has shown good IQ in how he dumps the puck for changes, etc.

The issue with his offensive game is that he wants the puck on his stick. When his touches are few and far between, he gets cold and while that's a knock on him (he has to improve his play without the puck offensively) it makes sense that he struggling to produce when he can't control the play (he is a playmaking wing more than goal scorer IMO).

Although Laine is known to want the puck, he likes to distribute as well. And I think keeping Slaf with Laine is a good idea. PL will create plays that will give Slaf some good opportunities and hopefully some tap-ins. If I were coaching slaf, I'd tell him that his #1 priority is winning the puck for the team and getting control. From there, let your talent flow and have fun. Stop overthinking.

He over-thinks and he simply needs to be told not to think too hard until that puck is won. He's smart enough to read the play once he has the puck, or once his teammate has it. But the problem is he's already trying to think about his play before he has won the puck. He's simply getting ahead of himself because he's a very talented and creative player. He just needs time
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A player like Heineman should play with them. Possibly Tuch if Luke plays like his brother in Buffalo.
 
shello said:
Of course not. Not what I’m implying at all. He’s in his third pro season, you’d hope he would have taken a larger more consistent step considering his draft status. He’ll likely figure it out, but he has a shiny new contract coming up to live up to
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He played consistent with consistent linemates, 40 games at 70 pts pace. Habs had valid 1st line first time in 30 years and yet our coaching staff was so stupid to separate them after 5 games.
 
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Egresch said:
He played consistent with consistent linemates, 40 games at 70 pts pace. Habs had valid 1st line first time in 30 years and yet our coaching staff was so stupid to separate them after 5 games.
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I’m sorry, but half a season out of 2.5 years isn’t consistent. Doesn’t seem like he can drive a line himself, hopefully that changes though
 
shello said:
I’m sorry, but half a season out of 2.5 years isn’t consistent. Doesn’t seem like he can drive a line himself, hopefully that changes though
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Everybody expected him to be a long term project and it only took him 80 games to figure out how to play and produce in NHL.
It is pretty simple, he is still just 20y old kid. He was moved to different position in PP1 where they took away his puck touches and he was moved from 1st line for no particular reason. He was put on 2nd line to help Dach which was insane expectation from 20y old. You cannot take away all his candies, feed the kid with broccoli and expect him to be super happy and perform.
 
Egresch said:
Everybody expected him to be a long term project and it only took him 80 games to figure out how to play and produce in NHL.
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I don’t think your premise is right — otherwise the professionals would’ve not rushed him to the NHL. I don’t think he’s figured out how to play or produce either.
Egresch said:
It is pretty simple, he is still just 20y old kid. He was moved to different position in PP1 where they took away his puck touches and he was moved from 1st line for no particular reason. He was put on 2nd line to help Dach which was insane expectation from 20y old. You cannot take away all his candies, feed the kid with broccoli and expect him to be super happy and perform.
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Do you really think a professional athlete should stop moving his feet and playing hard because his position was shifted 10feet on the power play?

Is pouting and throwing up on oneself the kind of character and culture you want to see on the Habs? Do you think our rebuild is going the right way with such fickle personalities as you describe?

Sometimes I’m not sure if the excuse-making process has not taken up the entire fandom. We find new and novel ways to avoid saying “yeah we want him to do better but he’s not yet managed to”.
 
Slaf just needs to broaden his game. I said it in his draft season, if he knows what to do in a situation, if there's a clear way to attack he's very dangerous. For example, his latest goal, Do left way too much space and Slaf took it. But if it's not clear what he should do he's a mixed bag.
 
ReHabs said:
I don’t think your premise is right — otherwise the professionals would’ve not rushed him to the NHL. I don’t think he’s figured out how to play or produce either.

Do you really think a professional athlete should stop moving his feet and playing hard because his position was shifted 10feet on the power play?

Is pouting and throwing up on oneself the kind of character and culture you want to see on the Habs? Do you think our rebuild is going the right way with such fickle personalities as you describe?

Sometimes I’m not sure if the excuse-making process has not taken up the entire fandom. We find new and novel ways to avoid saying “yeah we want him to do better but he’s not yet managed to”.
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Moving his feet is bare minimum and he deserved criticism for it, that is for sure.
Motivation is the huge factor in our performance and you do not have to be pro athlete. He showed he could dominate and literally move people if he plays highly motivated. How come we can accept it with Laine, but we cannot understand it with Slaf? Look at any 20y old kid around you and you found out how emotionally unstable these kids are in general. Slaf is not, he can handle the pressure of the best in Slovakia, 1OA, but he is still just a human being.
Connor Bedard has 5 goals in 27 games and he gets every opportunity to be successful. Also 10 hits that is like couple good games for Slaf. He was also described as generational talent yet he still cannot figure it out. What a bust.
 
Egresch said:
Moving his feet is bare minimum and he deserved criticism for it, that is for sure.
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But you’re not criticizing? Unless I’ve missed it. I see you excusing it.
Egresch said:
Motivation is the huge factor in our performance and you do not have to be pro athlete. He showed he could dominate and literally move people if he plays highly motivated.
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So did Joel Armia and myriad other players. The game is mental at this level and motivation and drive are simply essential. How else do you win playoff series?

We can’t be hit over the head that Slaf is a beast and also be hit over the head that we shouldn’t expect him to play like a beast. Just say he’s not a beast, it’s less complicated.
Egresch said:
How come we can accept it with Laine, but we cannot understand it with Slaf? Look at any 20y old kid around you and you found out how emotionally unstable these kids are in general. Slaf is not, he can handle the pressure of the best in Slovakia, 1OA, but he is still just a human being.
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I accept that Laine is a buy-low player because of his recent few years of inconsistency and injury and struggles. I wouldn’t want Slaf compared to Laine…

Every player is human, so I dunno what you want to say here. He’s not moving his feet 30 games into a season (after signing a jumbo mega contract extension!!) because he needs more motivation??
 
ReHabs said:
So did Joel Armia and myriad other players.
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Armia has never played 40 games consinstently as Slaf did last year. Please, do not pretend it was just a coincidence. He was way better than Caufield and significantly helped Suzuki to reach 33 goals. One of his strenghts last year was his PP one-timer and that was taken away. For some strange reason, he is also paired with Dach for most of the season. Dach should be playing 4th line with his league leading -21. Just put Slaf back to CC and Suziki or leave him with Laine, but put Evans at 2C and leave it there for 10 games to get some consistency. I am sure Laine and Slaf can create some offense on their own and Evans would provide them defensive coverage.
 
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